robertson



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J.I-I. ROBERTSON; TRACTION ROPE RAILWAY. No. 289,563. Patented Dec. 4,1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. H. ROBERTSON. TRACTION ROPE RAILWAY.

No. 28956 3. Patented De of l, 1883;

Lawmfarn. PEYERS. mmumn mrfwmin m. n. c. I

UNITED. STATES JOHN H. ROBERTSON,

or NEW roman. Y.

TRACTION-R PE RAILWAY.

LPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,563, dated December 4, 1883.

Application filed May 23, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ROBERTSON, of

the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Rope Railways, of which the following is a specification. V

My invention relates to the grip which takes up and seizes the rope or cable, and which may be operated from the car, and whichwill also release the rope or cable automatically if the driver should neglect to do so at the proper time, as hereinafter shown.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aplau view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal view, showing the rope in the unlocked take-up. Fig. 3 is the same,showing the takeup locked. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the take ups, and take-up trip and take-up lock. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the grip-jaws and lock for same. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same and the automatic grip-lock trip. Fig.

l 7 is a plan view, taken from below, of the gripjaws, take-up, and take-up lock. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal view of my invention, showing the cable taken up and locked in the grip-jaws. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional longil tu dinal view of the same, taken at a: 00, see Fig. 1.

Similar letters and figures of reference designate similar parts in all the drawings.

A A are the car-wheels, fastened upon the axles a. a, and running upon the track B B.

O O is the platform of thecar.

D is the frame for carrying the grip and attachments, resting upon the axles a a, which travel in the bearings d d d d.

b b b b" are grooved brake-wheels, rigidly secured to the axles a a, and carrying in the grooves the chains 0 c c c, which operate as brakes by friction in the grooves of the wheels end of the car, as the pair of spindles e c,

a and their connections on one end of the car correspond with the pair of spindles e e and their connections on the other end of the car, and their operation is identical.

To the lower end of each of the brake-i 1 juring the cable.

spindles e e is attached a chain, 0", connected by means of the rod 1 with the chain a, pass ing around the grooved wheels I), and also. connected by the rod 2 to the chain c, passing around the grooved wheels 5, and which chain c is then firmly fastened to the frame of the car by the rod 3, sothat when the chain c is wound upon the brakespindle e the chains 0 o will be drawn tightly aroundthe wheelsb b, and, by the friction produced, act as brakes upon the car.

I will now describe'more particularly my take-up and grip. p In the center of the frame D is a vertical bar, E, which fits in vertical grooves in the casting of the frame D. It is not rigidly attached to the frame D, but allows of a slight backward and forward movement and of a considerable upward movement, in order to di minish the, jar caused by grasping the cable and of lifting the grip above the street-level,

when desired, and it is held in place by the.

:pins 8 8, passing through it and resting upon the frame D. This bar, in connection. with rod 9 and frame F, supports the weight and strain of the take-up and grip. 'The rod 9 passes loosely through the lower ends of the bar E and is firmly fastened to the frame F at its extremities. This allows of a slight horizontal movement of the bar E on the rod 9, and the jar and shock upon grasping the cable is still further diminish ed by the spiral springs 10 10 upon the rod 9, between the sides of the bar E and the frame F. On either side of the frame F is hinged one of the grip-jaws G G,

having longitudinal grooves g g, in which the cable isheld when the grip is applied, and which may have a lining, g g, of rawhide, metal, or other suitable material, to give a more secure hold to the jaws and prevent in- These jaws are hinged outside of their center of gravity, so that when they hang simply upon their hinges their inner faces will not be in contact, but. the gripjaws will be open. The arms H H, with the beveled edges h h on each side of a narrow plain surface, project horizontally when the jaws are closed from the center of thejaws and at right angles to the length thereof. ,lhese.

jaws are kept firmly locked by the transverse bar I, pivoted horizontally on the lower end.

of said bar are beveled on each side of a narrow central plane surface in opposite directions to the beveled surface on the arms II H, as shown at Z Z, which transverse bar is held at right angles to the grip-jaws G G and with the said plane surfaces bearing upon the flat surfaces of the arms H H by the coiled spring 6, one end of which engages at t" with the crossbar I at the projection j on the collar K rigidly attached to the lower end of the bar J, and the other end engages with the projection j on the flange K of the bar J and the crossbar I at '5 This spring acts by expansive force in the following manner: \Vhen the bar I is in the position just described, the spring cannot uncoil, because its ends are held by the projections j j, while at the same time it holds in place the bar I, which, by reason of its engagement with both ends of the said spring, can be revolved in neither direction without the application of force sufficient to overcome the expansive force of the spring. If, however, sufficient force is applied, the result will be as follows: The bar I, when partially rotated, will carry around one end of the spring, while the other end remains hearing against the projection j orj, coiling the spring more tightly, so that when the bar is released the spring, by its expansive force, will carry it back until the ends of the spring again engage with the rigid projections j and j. As soon as the barI is revolved, so that its arms pass beyond the arms H H of the gripjaws G G, the jaws will open of their own weight and by the weight of the cable; but when the bar I is released and allowed to return to place its beveled edges Z 7, coming in contact with the beveled edges h h of the arms H H, will, as the bar I revolves, force the arms H H down and close the grip. Ordinarily the grip is opened by an upward movement of the bar J, carrying with it the cross-bar I; but it is adapted to be operated automatically, in the manner just described, by revolving the cross bar I by the appliances hereinafter shown.

The bar J slides between the arms E E of the bar E, and is riveted between the arms K K of the forked bar K,which straddles the saddle E of the bar E. Between the upper edge of the saddle E of the bar E and the -low'er side of the crown of the bar K is an expa'n'sive spring, m, which. raises the bar K, and with it the bar J and crossbar I, thus releasing the grip and allowing its jaws to open.

The arm 6 is pivoted to the frame D at 5, andrests with the heel it upon the crown of the barK. It is connected loythe rod 4 and chain c with the brake-spindle e. The chain 0" passes around the spindle in the opposite direction to chain 0", so that when the chain c is wound up the chain 0* is unwound.

v To the spindle e is attached a chain, c, linked to the rod 12, which is pivoted to the end'ofthe arm 13 on the roekin g shaft 14, which also "carries the arms 15, 16, and 17 and the cam 18, and which rocking shaft revolves in hearings in the frame D. The chain 0 winds upon the brake-spindle e in the opposite direction to the chain c, and is linked to the rod 22,which is pivoted to the arms 16 on the end of the other rocking shaft.

The arms 17 17 on opposite sides of the rocking shaft 14 are connected by the rod t, so that a r'ight-to-left movement of one rocking shaft is converted into a left-to-right In'ovement of the other rocking shaft. This shaft 14 passes through the slot 19 in the vertical bar M, to the upper end of which bar is fastened the toe 20, which is operated upon by the cam 18 to raise the slotted bar M. The

bar M passes at 0 through bearings in the frame F, and is provided at its lower end with a pair of laterally-opening hinged jaws, p 1), each of which is provided at its lower end with an internally-pivoted carrying-pulley, q, beveled inwardly on its edge, its inner side meeting,when the hinged jaws are closed,with the inner side or the corresponding pulley-roller on the opposite jaw, the two .rollers then together forming a grooved carryingpulley. The bar N travels vertically in the slot 19 of the bar M, passing through the frame F with the bar M, and is provided at its lower end with the cupped lock 0. This lock 0 travels outside of and around the bar M, and the inner cupped surface fits down over the jaws 1) p when the bars M and N are moved so as to bring the cup and jaws together, and closes the jaws p p, bringing together the carryingrollers q q, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The bar N,with the cupped lock, is raised by means of the rod 1 and chain S, attached to the arms 15 on the rocking shaft 14, and fall of their own weight when released. \Vhen the bar M, with the hinged jaws p p, is raised, carrying with it the bar N and cup-lock 0, it is kept from falling by the pawl u, pivoted in the frame F, which falls into the notch 21 in the edge of the bar M, an upward movement of the cupped lock 0 will then disengage the pawl and allow the bar M to descend.

On one side of the cupped lock 0 is a pivoted roller, 12, which, when brought in contact with and traveling up the inclined surface of the tripping device P, raises the lock 0 off of the hinged jaws p p, and the pawl a is tripped by the lock O,leaving the jaws p 1) free to open and drop the cable, and while the roller 12 travels upon the level surface of the tripping device P the projecting arm to of the trip Q,

Fig. 6, engages with the projecting arm of the cross-bar I and turns the bar I, Fig. 1, dotted lines, partly around, so as to free the arm H of the grip-jaw G and allow the grip-jaws G G to open and drop the cable It, thus automati cally disengaging the take-up andgrip from the cable- This device is adapted for use at points where it is desired to change from one track to another, or where for any reason it is important that the grip and take-up should be unlocked without relying solely upon the care and attention of the driver.

The bars E K J M N, Fig. 2, carrying with them the frame F and grip and take-up do practice the operation of my device is as follows: the bar M, with the take-up, being raised and held up by the pawl u, if it is desired to takeupthe cable, the brake-spinvices, may be raised vertically through the grooves of the frame D until theupper surface of the frameF comes in contact with the lower side of the frame D, andthen be held in place by the pawl y, Fig. 8, on the frame D, engaging in the notch z of the bar E, or byany other suitable device. The 1 whole apparatus will then be above the street-level, and the carcan be run at will upon a surface-track without special provision for the grip attachments. In

die 6 is turned so as to wind up the chain thus rotating the rocking shaft 14 (the same result being produced in the other rocking shaft 14 by means of 1 the arms 17 17 and the connecting-rod t) and raising the arm 15, Fig. 8, which, operating by means of the chain S and rod r, will raise the cupped lock 0 off of the take'up jaws p p, and disengage the pawl a from the notch 21, and allow the bar M to drop until the pulley-rollers q q come in corn tact with the cable R; The hinged jaws being free to open laterally, the cable It, wedging between the beveled rollers, which are carried down by the weight of the bar M, will spread the j aws open and allow the cable to pass above the rollers q q and inside of the take-up jaws p p. The brake spin dle is then reversed,slaekening on the chain c and taking up the chain 0*, which, operating on the arm 13 through the l I rod 12, rotates the shaft 14 in the opposite di-i rection from that produced by the previous movement, and lowers the arm 15 until it is about horizontal, Fig. 3, thus slackening the chain S and dropping the cupped lock 0 upon the take-up jaws (now inclosing the cable) and lockingthem. The arm 15 being in this horizontal position, the cam 18 begins to 0p erate upon the toe 20. on the end of the slotted bar M, and, as the arm 13 is drawn still farther forward and the rocking shaft revolved farther. the cam 18 will raise the toe 20 and bar M, take-up grip, and cupped lock, carrying with them the cable until the cable passes into the recess 9 adapted to embrace and clamp the rope betweenthe grip-' jaws G G, when the pawl a, engaging in the notch 21, will prevent thewhole from falling. The cable now is in a position to be seized by the gripjaws G G, but can still travel a freely through the grip, running upon the 1 pulley-rollers q q, and as long as the car is traveling upon the same cable the take-up device may be left in this position without being disturbed, and the movement of the car regulated by the brake-spindle e, as follows: It

is now desired to closethe grip-jaws G Gand seize the cable It. The brake-spindle e is rea volved so as to take up the chain 0 drawing forward by the rod 4 the arm 6, and forcing the heel or of the arm 6 down upon the crown of thebar K, compressing the spring on betweenthe crown and the saddle ll of the pansive force of the spring m will raise the bars K and J and cross-bar I, and leave the grip-jaws G G free to open by removing the strain from the arms H H, and by continuing the revolution of the brake-spindle e the chain 0 will be taken up and the strain transmitted by the rods 1 and 2 tothe chains 0 0 upon the brake-wheels b b, and the car brought toa standstill. When the car, with the take-up and grip locked, is approaching a point where the cable must always be released, this will be accomplished by my automatic unlocking device, as follows: WVhen the grip, carried along by the cable, reaches the inclined plane of the trip I, the roller a, traveling up the inclined plane, will raise the cupped lock 0 off of the take-up jaws p p and trip the pawl a, leaving the take-up jaws p 9 free to open laterally and drop the cable, and while the cupped lock is held in this position by the roller 11, traveling along the level top of the trip P, the projecting arm w of the trip Q will engage with the arm of the cross-bar I, partially revolving the same and freeing the arms H H of the grip-jaws, G G, so that the jaws will fall open and allow the cable to escape.

WVhen it is desired, the grip attachments can be raised above the surface-level, as before described, and the car run upona siding or elsewhere. i

. The spindles e e are operated by means of removable hand-wheels fitted at the upper end of the spindle-shanks, which may be disengaged from the spindle-shanks on one end of the car and applied to the spindle-shanks on the other end of the car, so that when the hand-wheels are removed from one end of the car and the brakeman is at the other end of the car the grip mechanism and brakes cannot be turned or disturbed by any one at the end from which the hand-wheels have been removed, as might occur from carlessness or caprice of passengers, and the platform of the car is freed from the obstruction of the handles.

No pawls or ratchets are used upon the brake spindles,-the take-up and take-up lock being held in place, when raised, by the pawl a and notch 21, as described, and the grip. being heldlocked, and the brakes applied by the driver or brakeman holding the spindle hand- IIO wheel in the desired position, so that the spingaging and engaging apawl and ratchet. The

spindles are. turned in the usuatway from .right to left to open the grip and apply the brakes, and from left to right to lock the grip.

4 ceases Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The take-up grip consisting of the hinged jaws p p and pulley-rollers q q, adapted to descend and embrace the cable, substantially as described.

2. The cupped lock 0, in combination with the jaws of a take-up grip, and adapted to lock the same thereon, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the take-up grip having the hinged jaws p p and pulley-rollers q q with the embracing cupped lock 0, for the purpose of embracing the cable in a locked grip and releasing the same, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the takeup grip having hinged jaws p p and pulley-rollers q q, hinged to a bar, M, and the cupped grip-lock 0 upon the bar N, rod 1", chain S, arm 15, and rocking shafts 14, for the purpose of raising the grip-lock O and freeing the grip-jaws pp, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the take-up grip having jaws p p, rollers q q, hinged to the bar M, toe 20, cam 18, rocking shaft 14, arm 15, chain S, rod 1', bar N, and lock 0, forthe purpose of grasping, raising, retaining, and releasing a tractionrope cable, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the take-up grip having jaws p p and rollers q q, bar M, notch 21, toe 20, cam 18, rocking shaft 14, arm 15, chain S, rod 1, bar N, lock 0, and pawl u, for the purpose of grasping and holdingatractionrope cable automatically in a free traveling grip and releasing the same, substantially as described.

7. In a take-up device, the combination of two sets of take-up grips and locks, each having grip-jaws p p, rollers q q, bar M, toe 20, bar, N, lock 0, rod r, chain S, arm 15, rocking shaft 14, cam 18, and arms 13 16 17, connected by the rod t, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a traction-rope-railway grip, the jaws G G, having the recesses g g, lining g 9', arms H H, with beveled edges h h, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The bar I, having the beveled edges Z Z, in combination with the grip-jaws G G, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the gripjaws G G, cross-bar I, bar J, flange K collar K and spring 2', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination of the grip-jaws G G, cross-bar I, bar J, flange K, collar K spring t, bar K, arm 6, to which force is applied, heel n, and bar E and spring m, for the purpose of a locking and unlocking grip, substantially as set forth.

12. In atraction-rope-railway grip, the combination of the bar E, pins 8 8, notch z, pawl y, rod 9, springs 10 10, grip-jaws G G, bar I, collar K", flange K spring i, bar J, bar K,

, arms 6 6, to which power is applied, heels an,

and spring m, with a duplicate take-up grip con= sisting of the rocking shafts 14 14, arms 16 16 13 13, to which power is applied, arms 15 15 17 17, rod 25, cams 18 18, toes 20 20, bars M M N N, chains S S, rods r r, cupped locks O O, grip-jaws p p p p, rollers q q q q, pawls u u, notches z 21 21, and frames D and F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. In combination with the hinged j aws p p, rollers q q, and cupped lock 0, the roller 2) and trip P, as an automatic unlocking device, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In combination with the bar J, cross-bar I, and grip-jaws G G, the trip Q, with arm 10, as an automatic unlocking device, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. In a traction-rope grip and take-up, the combination of the jaws p p, rollers qq, lock 0, roller 12, trip 1 bars J I, flange K collar K, spring 03, jaws G G, trip Q, and arm 10, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. The'combination of arms13 16, to which power is applied, rocking shaft 14, arm 15, cam

18, toe 20, chain S, rod 1, bars M N, lock 0, j aws p p,pulley-rollers q q, roller 1), and trip 1 substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. The combination of the arms 6 6, to which power is applied, heels n at, bars E K J, spring m, crossbar I, collar K", flange K, spring 2', jaws G G, trip Q, and arm w, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. The combination of the arms 13 13 16 16 6 6, to which power is applied, rocking shafts 14 14, arms 15 15 17 17, cams 18 18, red t, heels n n, toes 20 20, spring m, bars M M N N E K J, chains S S,rods r r, locks O O, jawspp pp, pulley-rollers q q q q, crossbar I, collar K", flange K spring 45, jaws G G, rod 9, springs 10 10, rollers o 1;, trips 1? Q, and arm w, connected and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

19. In a tractionrope-railway brake takeup, looking, gripping, and automatically-tripping device, the combination of the spindles e e e e, chains 0 0 c 0 c c 0'' 0 c c c 0 rods 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 12 12 22 22, wheels I) b b 1), frame D, bearings d d d d, axles a 0!, arms 6 6, heels n a, rocking shafts 14 14, arms 1717 15 15 16 16 13 13, cams 18 18, pawl y, notch z, toes 20 20, bars M M N N E K J, rod 9, springs 10 10, jaws G G, cross-bar I, collar K flange K spring 13, frame F, pawls u u, notches 21 21, grip-jaws p p pp, rollers q q q q r o, cupped locks O 0, trips P Q, and arm w, connected, adjusted, and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

20. The combination of the arm 15, chain S, rod 1", and cupped lock 0, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

21. The combination of the arm 15, chain S,

rod 1", lock 0, and cam 18, substantially as and as and for the purposes set forth.

23. The combination of the arm 15, chain S,

rod r, lock 0, cam 18, andtoe 20, so arranged that by a continuous revolution in the same direction of the spindlee' the chain c and rod 12 will operate so that the lock is first let down and thenthe take-up and the lock raised with the cable therein, so a that the cable can be brought within the grip, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

24. The grip-jaws G G, hinged at the upper side and outside of their centers of gravity, whereby said jaws G G will tend to open of their own weight and allow the cable to enter between them, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

25. The grip-jaws G G, hinged at the upper side and outside of their centers of gravity,

whereby said jaws G G will tend to open of their own weight and allow the cable to enter between them, and having the arms H H, with the beveled edges h h h 71, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

26. In combination with frame D, and having a vertical and slightly longitudinal movement in grooves therein, vertical bar E, with pins 8 8, rod 9, springs 10 10, and frame F,

. grasping the cable diminished, substantially whereby the weight and strain of the take-up and grip are sustained and the jar caused by manner from left to right to apply the brakes, andreversing for the purpose of closing the grip and releasing the brakes, in combination with a removable hand-wheel fitted to the upper end of the spindle-shank, said spindle being free to revolve without being held by a pawl and ratchet at or near the surface of the car-platform, substantially as and for the purposes set forth;

' 29.1 Atake-up device in a traction-rope railway adapted to descend and clutchthe cable, in combination with a locking device to descend and lock the take-up, and mechanism to raiseboth the take-up and lock device with the cable, so that the cable shall come within the grip, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

30. Atake-up devicein a traction-rope railway adapted to descend and catch the cable, in combination with a locking device to descend and lock the take-up, and mechanism to raise both the take-up and lock device with the cable, so that the cable shall come within the grip, and mechanism to raise the lockfrom the take-up and unlock the grip, to allow the cable to fall down and out of the take-up grip, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

31. In a lock to the grip in a traction-rope railway, the combination of a spring with the locking cross-bar, one end of the spring acting upon and against the cross-bar, and the other end of thespring acting upon and against a stationary point either above or below the cross-bar, substantially as set forth.

' 32. In combination with the jaws of a cablegrip, a cross-bar to lock the grip-jaws, so arranged as to move either forward or backward relative to the motion of the car, and as well to raise up from the jaws of the cable-grip, whereby the cable shall be released by either movement of the cross-bar, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN BRoLLEs, CHARLES FOWLER. 

